problem about the N/P pelletes and keeping SPS with 150W MH

[ricardoz]

i'm now keeping LPS in my 130g tank with 2 150W MH(14K) and 2 54W T5HO artinic blue, i found that at the top of the tank it's very deficult to keep any LPS for the lighting is too strong, my MH is only 6-7' above the water. so i wanna try some SPS, and began to use the N/P reducing pellets the last week and use the 1/4 of the suggested amount, and will add more 1/4 every week. my tank's NO3 level is now about 2ppm, and the PO4 is 0, i wanna ask if i need to dose some other things to keep the balance of the bacteria, for exemple, MB7 ou some Animo acids? because i heard that the pellets will reduce the nitrate to 0, and there are risk to break the N-cycle or the balance of bacteria something....

i havn't put any SPS in my tank, and i don't know if the lighting is enough to keep SPS, it seems that the actual lighting of my sistem is not enough to keep SPS, but it really too strong to keep LPS at the top of the rocks, so i just want to try and need your suggestion.

 

[karsseboom]

For lighting i would really upgrade to 250w. Thers better bulbs and the sps really need 250w i had 175w and my sps did ok but then upgraded to 250 wow what a difference...Flow is really important too.

 

[ricardoz]

yeah, i agree. but i just replaced my 150w bulbs for about a month, so i think i will upgrade the lighting several month later. about the flow, i'm now using a wavebox and with the current made by the water return pump, it's more than enough for the LPS, but i don't know if it is good for SPS, if not i think i will add a tunze maybe.

 

[ricardoz]

nobody else can give me some advice?

 

[zaheda]

The 150 w halides will work, I dont seee any problems using them. Check out the japenese tanks, many use 150w halides.

 

[Toadally]

Don't know why you're having trouble keeping LPS under 150w halides. I have a 25 gallon softie with LPS also running a 175w and it does just fine. What bulb are you using?

 

[glennr1978]

I'm keeping SPS under 150w mh (see sig for further details) with no problems at all. My lights are ~10" from the surface of the water and my SPS grow even in the sandbed. However, my tank is only 16" deep.